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How Dist. 203 hopefuls will fit in as board recovers from discord

Interest in leading Naperville Unit District 203 into the future is strong with seven candidates seeking five seats on the school board in the April 4 election.

Five of the hopefuls are seeking four full 4-year terms, while two are running for one 2-year term created by the resignation of Suzyn Price last May.

The 4-year candidates are incumbents Kristin Fitzgerald, Donna Wandke and Charles Cush, who was appointed in June to serve in Price's old role until this election, and newcomers Shirley DeCorte and Paul Leong. Squaring off to earn the 2-year seat are Robert Fieseler and Kristine Gericke.

The governing body the winning candidates will join has seen its share of dysfunction and rocky moments during the past year and a half.

In September 2015, three board members openly criticized board President Terry Fielden's leadership and communication, saying the flow of information stalled and the board's ability to function diminished after he took on the president's role.

Roughly six months later, Price, then the board's vice president, announced she would resign at the end of the 2015-16 school year, saying the board's divisions and dysfunction proved "new energy and new ideas are even more critically needed right now."

While Price's move brought in Cush as a new voice, many of the players involved in the original discord remain, including Fielden and two of his critics, board members Mike Jaensch and Jackie Romberg.

Incumbents say the board has done its best to move forward by adopting new norms to govern communication and behavior and implementing a yearly self-evaluation to ensure the district remains on track.

But each candidate offers a different view of how she or he will blend in and work together on the board.

Wandke, a 47-year-old junior high ministry leader with a master's degree in education, says she will fit in by respecting the talents of her fellow board members and remembering that division can come from well-meaning differences of opinion if leaders aren't mindful.

"We're all so passionate about the issues," Wandke said, "so I think that makes it sometimes a little difficult to have seven leaders working together."

Fitzgerald, a 45-year-old policy advocacy consultant, says despite past bumps in the road, the board is on a good track because of new "healthy practices" put in place.

"I think that was a really good addition to put in the annual self-check and to ensure that we're communicating about the most effective way to work together and get things done," Fitzgerald said.

Cush, a 46-year-old health care marketing executive, said a shared commitment to a goal of providing the strongest education possible unites the board.

"To say there are never going to be challenges is unrealistic," Cush said. "It's all about helping the schools be the best they can be, and we're doing that."

Newcomers seeking 4-year seats say they're confident they can keep the board heading in a collaborative direction as it manages 22 schools serving roughly 16,700 students.

Leong, a 53-year-old financial analyst, says he would bring his "deep roots in the Asian-American community" to the board along with financial skills to help District 203 continue succeeding.

DeCorte, a 70-year-old education administrator, says she's gained a "clear understanding of how a board is supposed to function" during her career and she knows how to listen carefully before making decisions.

The candidates seeking a 2-year term also say they can fit right in.

As a former Naperville City Council member, Fieseler said he brings an understanding of governance and the ability to hit the ground running.

"What I can bring is a sense of dialogue and conversion," said Fieseler, a 61-year-old patent attorney. By conversion, Fieseler said he means a willingness to adjust his opinions if the public, other board members, teachers or administrators present new facts.

Gericke, a 44-year-old substitute teacher, said she's an open-minded person who plans to invite dialogue with other board members, administrators and the wider community if she wins the 2-year seat.

"I don't expect to walk into a situation where I like everyone and everyone likes me," Gericke said. "But I do expect that we should be able to talk to each other, even if we have a difference."

Kristin Fitzgerald is seeking re-election to a 4-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
Charles Cush is seeking his first full 4-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
Shirley DeCorte is seeking a 4-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
Paul Leong is seeking a 4-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
Robert Fieseler is seeking a 2-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
Kristine Gericke is seeking a 2-year term on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board in the April 4 election.
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